This is directed to providing an audio user interface for an electronic device that does not have a display.
Users can interact with electronic devices using different interfaces. For example, if a device includes a display, the device processor can direct the display to display a graphical user interface. The graphical user interface can include information displayed for the user, such as application windows, text or images, or any other suitable information stored locally or retrieved from a remote source (e.g., the Internet or a host device). The graphical user interface can also include displayed selectable options that the user can select to direct the electronic device to perform operations. Such operations can include, for example, operations tied to particular applications, instructions to open or display information, instructions to close or end a process or application, or any other suitable electronic device operation. To select a displayed option, the user can provide an instruction using an input interface coupled to the device.
Not every electronic device, however, includes a display. To control different device operations, the electronic device can have different input interfaces each associated with different operations. For example, the electronic device can include several buttons associated with different operations. In some embodiments, a portable media device can include distinct buttons for controlling playback operations, for example buttons for each of play/pause, next/fast forward, previous/rewind, volume up, and volume down.
As the size of electronic devices reduces, the input interface can become a limiting factor to the size reduction. For example, the size of an electronic device can be reduced so that the device includes no display and only a single input interface (e.g., a single button). As another example, the size of the electronic device can be reduced such that the device does not include an input interface, but rather is coupled to a remote input interface (e.g., coupled to an in-cable button connected to a port of the device). If the device includes only a single input interface and no display, the device can require an audio-based user interface to allow the user to control device operations.